Starred Review ALA Booklist (Mon May 08 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Starred Review Being the new kid is never easy, and it can be especially hard at a new school with mean, popular kids. Chinese American Jennifer Chan moves in across the street from Korean American Mallory Moss in small-town Norwell, Florida. Jennifer, full of self-confidence, has a strong belief in aliens, and Mallory can tell that she's going to have trouble fitting in at their predominantly white middle school. As wild rumors spread about Jennifer, Mallory finds herself stuck between becoming friends with her or sticking with the queen bees of their seventh-grade class. The story unfolds between two time lines, with chapters alternating between "Now," set in the present-day when Jennifer is missing, and "Then," which involve events before Jennifer vanishes. As Mallory searches for Jennifer, using clues from Jennifer's journals, she must confront the truth behind actions that may have caused Jennifer to disappear. Readers slowly uncover the palpably painful bullying that Jennifer suffered from Mallory and her friends. The emotionally absorbing story is full of thought-provoking explorations on self-confidence, forgiveness, and friendship while illuminating parallels between alien and human struggles. An author's note helps young readers to reflect on their actions even further. Highly recommended for all middle-grade collections.

Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Mon May 08 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

This story about one girl's reaction to another seventh grader's disappearance reveals the internal impact of bullying.Mallory Moss, a 12-year-old girl in a small Florida town, was the first to meet Jennifer Chan. Chinese American Jennifer moved from the Midwest into the house across the street during the summer. Mallory, who is Korean and implied White, knows that the new girl will have trouble once their predominantly White, Christian school begins: For one thing, Jennifer believes in aliens. Alternating between chapters labeled "Now" that are set in the present day and "Then," describing events before Jennifer vanishes, the book dives right into the action as Jennifer goes missing in the first chapter. Texts start flying between Mallory and her friends as they worry about what Mallory calls "the Incident" with Jennifer that took place a few days before her disappearance. While the search for Jennifer intensifies, Mallory replays prior events with growing dread, looking for clues. The storyline slowly reveals cracks in friendships, with Mallory questioning her responsibility for many pieces of this puzzle. Keller successfully captures the emotional ennui of middle school tweens who are jockeying for social status, anxious and riddled with doubt, and yearning for a sense of identity. There is clearly enough hurt to go around, and this story provides one solution for getting through dark days.A mesmerizing look at bullying and its aftereffects. (author's note) (Fiction. 8-12)

School Library Journal Starred Review (Mon May 08 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Gr 57 "There are also things I don't know. Like, do some people really just have popularity? Or is it given, or taken, or some combination of both?" Mallory Moss ponders this question as she struggles to find her place in middle school and in the world at large. Jennifer Chan, a new girl from Chicago, has just moved to Norwell, FL, and the rumors about her are already swirling. As Jennifer's neighbor, Mallory discovers that Jennifer's strength and quirky personality, along with her firm belief in aliens, are a recipe for disaster for the upcoming seventh grade year. Jennifer, on the other hand, is thrilled to have a new friend, but is stunned to learn that their budding friendship means nothing at school, because Mallory is one of the mean girls. When Jennifer goes missing, Mallory's world is shaken; she knows that she must revisit the bullying Jennifer experienced to get to the truth and hope it's not too late to save her. Written from Mallory's perspective in chapters that alternate between "Then" and "Now," Newbery-winning author Keller's book contains an exciting mix of mystery, adventure, and science fiction. Readers will bond with Mallory and stay engaged in the well-paced plot. Mallory and Jennifer are both Asian, while most friends read as white. VERDICT With an appeal to a wide variety of readers, this genre fusion is highly recommended for all library shelves. Tracy Cronce

Horn Book (Mon May 08 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Twelve-year-old narrator Mallory is distressed to learn that her neighbor and sometime-friend Jennifer Chan has disappeared. Having recently moved to town (deemed "Nowhereville" Florida by Mallory), Jennifer -- who is Chinese American; lives with a young, single mother; and wholeheartedly believes in aliens -- doesn't fit in at snobby, homogenous Gibbons Academy. Socially insecure Mallory (whose own mom is "half Korean") and her two mean-girl besties had bullied Jennifer. Alternating between "Now" and "Then," and with heavy foreshadowing of something known as "the Incident," Mallory slowly, guiltily, reveals what happened, and how she's determined to make things right. Occasional interspersed journal entries from "Jennifer Chan's Guide to the Universe" provide the missing girl's thoughts on family, friendship, and the inevitability of extraterrestrial existence, plus how to make contact; the story's climax leaves room for interpretation regarding her success. Keller (Newbery Medalist for When You Trap a Tiger) writes with uncommon compassion for all of her characters -- even the cruel-seeming ones -- addressing such issues as peer pressure, individuality, identity, and microaggressions from a variety of perspectives. A heartfelt and hopeful appended note provides further details about the author's motivation and methodology. Elissa Gershowitz

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

This story about one girl's reaction to another seventh grader's disappearance reveals the internal impact of bullying.Mallory Moss, a 12-year-old girl in a small Florida town, was the first to meet Jennifer Chan. Chinese American Jennifer moved from the Midwest into the house across the street during the summer. Mallory, who is Korean and implied White, knows that the new girl will have trouble once their predominantly White, Christian school begins: For one thing, Jennifer believes in aliens. Alternating between chapters labeled "Now" that are set in the present day and "Then," describing events before Jennifer vanishes, the book dives right into the action as Jennifer goes missing in the first chapter. Texts start flying between Mallory and her friends as they worry about what Mallory calls "the Incident" with Jennifer that took place a few days before her disappearance. While the search for Jennifer intensifies, Mallory replays prior events with growing dread, looking for clues. The storyline slowly reveals cracks in friendships, with Mallory questioning her responsibility for many pieces of this puzzle. Keller successfully captures the emotional ennui of middle school tweens who are jockeying for social status, anxious and riddled with doubt, and yearning for a sense of identity. There is clearly enough hurt to go around, and this story provides one solution for getting through dark days.A mesmerizing look at bullying and its aftereffects. (author's note) (Fiction. 8-12)